


Tiny Horrors

by shiftingfootsteps



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bittybones (Undertale), Angst, Animalistic, Edgy, F/M, Hate, Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Hurt/Comfort, More tags later, Violence, Weirdness, all characters freeform, female oc - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22356607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiftingfootsteps/pseuds/shiftingfootsteps
Summary: An ht bitty takes his chances. Will the human as well?
Comments: 63
Kudos: 92





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A quick something, since I needed a little breather.  
> rl really eats up most time rn.
> 
> Somewhat dark. Conflicts (dunno if this is called angst?), clinging to life, fighting, violence, weirdo behavior, intimidation.  
> Open end (for now(?))  
> If any of this pose a problem, you know what to do. 
> 
> My own take on an ht bittybones.  
> More characters might be added.

He felt like he was going to dust there. 

His head was throbbing, the hole giving off a dull pain, while his sole eyelight was blown wide and hazy from exhaustion. 

The small skeleton staggered back a few steps, shadows looming above him. 

He wasn't weak per se, but there were two humans currently pondering how best to kill him and he had run out of magic some time ago. At a height of about 15 cm (~6 inch) his chances to fight a human Male more than 10 times his size were hardly existent. 

Not like his existence was something to mourn, he simply would have loved a lucky break before dying.

Maybe looking at a sunrise with a nice person, getting a hearty meal with plenty of ketchup and maybe getting a hug from a Papyrus. It didn't even have to be his Papyrus, he was realistic, really, any would have been fine.

The lies they fed bitties as their introduction to the human world were nothing like the reality he had encountered in his life. Families had taken him in, then he went to solo households it was a constant up and down til they dropped him. Then everything went from bad to worse, when he…

Uh..

  
  


There was something about food and fighting? 

His papyrus, he was...

where? 

Stars, his memory went from okay to bad, lately lack of magic made it harder..

Where was he?

He forgot..

There was danger, right?

Wait, how did he end up here?

He looked around. 

It was a dark alley between some big buildings…

no one would really know what happened to him. 

Suddenly there was movement and laughter. . … didn't sound nice..

Remembering the danger, his soul gave a last attempt to power up his magic digging real deep.

Looking up at the 2 guys his eye came a flame, a threat, even if it was an empty one, it was all he could do, hoping for a miracle. 

That's when a sound could be heard, even amongst the human guys' laughter. A silent growling and a clickering from an eerie side alley, that was too narrow and dark to actually see. 

Despite his fear he was curious, was this a monster... or an animal or maybe even a human making that sound?

Was this his chance or rather peril?

His distraction didn't go unnoticed though as the two males looming above him followed his gaze. 

Just now they seemed to hear the sounds as well. It was like those noises weird creatures would make in some of the humans horror movies. 

They didn't seem to mind him and his potentially dangerous magic, but now they seemed tense. 

The next sounds were like a gurgling mixed with the clickering that ended in a throaty sound that sounded like a creature inhaling while baring their teeth. 

Now all three of them were fixated on the alley, when something unexpected happened. 

Out of the shadow stepped a human female, with their head held low. 

One of the man did a double take and started to smirk just barely.

The female wore an old rough poncho and their hair was messy and slightly curly, reaching just below their shoulder blades.

They smirked back at the Male, before lifting their head and staring at both of them with one wide left eye, that could be seen below the hair unlike the right one. 

If he had to describe it he'd call it manic and maybe even a little bloodthirsty. 

Then there was a twitch in their expression. 

All the warning the little skeleton got, before one of the man grabbed for him.

"I heard of you" the man sneered, gesturing with his head to his right hand in which he held the tiny skeleton. "Putting on a big show to save little critters like this. You never dealt any damage, though. Only intimidating people."

His friend didn't seem too sure though. 

"That you know of. " came the answer in a gravelly voice, seemingly too low for a female her size. And her posture stiffened, flexing her back muscles and cracking her finger joints. 

"What?" He snarled irritated. 

She grinned and her jaw cracked, when she did 

"no damage that you know of. " 

she answered, cocking her head, eyes wide open fixating him. 

The other guy apparently had enough and noped out, "screw this, that bitch is psycho" he said to his partner in crime and just jogged away.

When the guy looked back at her after cussing at his retreating coward ally, she still stared at him intensely.

"Tsk, what a Wuss."

He commented his fellows behavior, then grinned at her challenging.

He pressed the thumb of the hand that was holding the skeleton into its neck, straining the spine just below his skull and making it choke.

"Now, how about you just make like a good bit** and kneel, or this one will be dust. "

He barked. 

She stared at him and just got down on her knees, like she couldn't give a 2 cents about it.

He approached her, grinning down on her, high on power. 

Then he raised his left hand and her mouth twitched still grinning. 

"Oh, that might just come back and  _ bite _ you"

He couldn't connect her words quickly enough, when he caught her looking the bitty directly in the eye. 

Next thing he knew, his hand got bitten by the bitty, which he immediately tried to shake off, earning himself an elbow just below his ribs from the female launching at him from the ground. The bitty let go just when the guy stumbled backwards, 

immediately getting caught by the female.

She smiled at him shortly and put him down, then went back to an indifferent expression and got closer to the guy again. 

When he wanted to punch her, she ducked below it, grabbed his arm, while stepping behind him and elbowing his lower back, then tripped him by putting her left leg in front of his right and twisting his arm a little more behind his back. 

He fell to his front and she let go. 

"Not to  _ twist _ your arm, buddy, but I'll give you five seconds to take your leave or I'll be  _ bound _ to get  _ cracking _ . "

She turned away from him, making big steps, like a little girl on the playgrounds starting to count.

The guy scrambled to his feet, bruised chin, bruised ego and holding his shoulder. Not turning back, he disappeared into the night. 

That's when she looked at the skeleton, who was snickering albeit seeming very tired. 

When she knelt down, there was just that little bit of that tell tale flinch of fear in his posture but he didn't budge, observing her, while still grinning. 

Until she got something out of her pocket and laid it down in front of him. 

"Well, show's over. " she stated flatly. 

He looked at the ketchup packages in front of him. 

Magic food…!

She stood up "you should watch yourself better out here." She said, turning around to leave.

"Wait!" He scrambled up and grabbed the ketchup packages jogging behind her as quickly as he could, stumbling. 

She hesitated for a moment then pushed on. 

Sans knew he wasn't gonna last for much longer, out here on his own, magic food or not. A bitty could only go so long without contact. 

And he tried everything from rats to homeless people, he just burned through his magic reserves way too quickly and couldn't even remember why. 

When she didn't stop he ripped open the ketchup packages slurping and absorbing the magic as quickly as he could, feeling for her retreating soul and shortcutting behind. 

He followed her, till she turned around just to where he appeared and stood towering before him, (despite not being very tall -he could tell).

"What do you want?"

He stumbled back, shocked she guessed just where he would appear. 

"I... have nowhere to go, uh.."

"I can't have a bitty." She just answered, turned around and kept walking.

He summoned whatever bit of determination a bitty shouldn't have and kept following. Going on foot, when his magic was exhausted again. 

At some point however his heavy bones couldn't get any further and he saw her stop, just when he collapsed. 

  
  


Whelp, 

he tried. 

  
  


The little skeleton collapsed with his tell tale uneasy grin on his face, sockets open, but without light in them. 

An unnerving view. And anybody who knew these kinds of bitties knew they had a tendency to lure in good natured people to bite them.

Unlike edgies though, they did it to feed. 

She wasn't that easy to fool.

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Sans finds himself in a new place.   
> There's things that he doesn't really like but can understand. It just feels complicated right now. How and why?  
> For now he gets a bath, which at some point doesn't feel as bad anymore. 
> 
> A little bit of panic, some fluff, nothing really explicit

He woke up sitting in water. Panicking at first, he struggled against whoever was holding him, muzzled jaw and arms bound, water splashing his mind reeled.  
When he noticed the hands holding him are only doing so carefully - hardly any pressure on him - and the water was not cold or painful, he stilled. Trying to make sense of the situation he huffed out a few more breaths, confused why he was bound.   
His memory deciding not to do him any favors, no explanation came to mind.

Only one way to find out what he was dealing with, then. 

Slowly and fearful he raised his head, searching for a face, dreading what he might find but glad he didn't get water in his socket.  
Narrowing his sockets at the female figure in front of him, he was confused, looking at his bound hands, then back at her. He wanted to voice something but stopped, insecurity nagging at him, he averted his eyes again. Eyes darting to and fro, he tried to figure out why this woman would..  
His soul told him she wasn't bad. 

Sure, she said she couldn't have a bitty, but..

An inquiring grumble made him look up again, the woman studying his behavior.   
"You with me now?"

He nodded slowly. 

"You remember me?"

Another nod.

"Can you promise not to bite or scratch me till you're clean, when I release you?"

So this was what this was about?  
He nodded eagerly, then thought for a moment about her choice of words, then nodded again, looking up at her. 

She studied his expression for a moment then nodded as well, reaching next to her for scissors.   
Without really giving his nervousness much time to built, she held his arms between two fingers, her grip firm, but not painful. Ignoring a short flinch, she lined up the scissors then just cut the medical tape, which came off easily and painless. 

She released his arms and he instinctively rubbed them, feeling for any damage. Aside from feeling a little stiff, he was completely fine.   
The muzzle still bugged him though, so he just felt for any kind of opening mechanism, but suddenly froze looking up to the woman.   
He hadn't even asked or was allowed to do this.   
He just forgot. 

"Oh, the mechanism is the button on the back of your skull. You should be able to reach it."

For a moment he was a little Flabbergasted.   
That's it?  
He looked up at her, felt her hand against his back supporting him again in the warm water, that came up to his ribcage.  
He took the muzzle of, which immediately felt a 1000 percent better. Though he had to admit it wasn't one of those painful ones he had before, when he..

His mind came up blank making him rub his head. 

What was it again?

Hmm? That's a nice feeling.   
Warm..  
Warm, warm… hmmm  
He sighed relaxing into the touch and the warm water…  
Water?  
The muzzle sank to his lap in his daze, startling him, when it made contact. 

He looked at it spooked, then threw it away, scrambling back. 

Hitting a hand, he looked up again, heaving.  
Warm..  
Warmm..  
Warm..

Don't hurt!  
His soul screamed at him.  
Don't scratch.  
Don't bite. 

He hooked a few phalanges into his dead socket.

Calm.  
He tugged.   
Calm…

Breathe. 

Feel.

Remember.

He let go, looking up at the human.   
His eye taking in the calm, patient expression underneath what could be mistaken as indifference. 

Patience.  
He felt it radiating from the hand behind him.   
His eyelight wavered. Unspoken the plead for safety.   
Her unwavering glance feeding his insecurity he averted his eyes, nuzzling the hand behind him.   
Please be safe, his beg. 

A sigh, calm and collected broke the tense atmosphere and he felt soft strokes down his spine.  
Some semblance of comfort making him relax into the touch. Energy he had already lost hope of feeling again filled his bones with life. Magic, spreading throughout his body.   
Feeling returned from head to toe.   
Exhaustion and pain clear in every sore bone and his soul, slowly mending through a warm feeling a glance of hope.   
The fragile promise of better times sneaking in a small fear, making him afraid to move lest it will be gone.   
Like a candle in the wind. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She observed his struggle, knowing from experience a hole in the head came with as much a hole in the memory for these tiny guys.   
They could be the sweetest ones when they were there, just sometimes.. they left. 

There was a hardly visible flinch in her expression, when he tugged at his socket   
\- fighting the urge to, well fight -   
making her wonder if letting him bite her would have been better.   
No.   
She has had a few infections before, one almost killed her. Who would help him when she was sick or dead?  
Out on the street these little guys tend to become predators if they lost too much energy, hunting drive even making them go after rats and pigeons.  
Oh, she knew bitties couldn't carry any diseases, but she learned the hard way that not brushing their teeth for a while left them messy little guys. Not that a bitty with a hole in the head necessarily remembered what filled his nonexistent belly after falling into a starved hunting frenzy.

Slowly and surely he came back.  
There it was.   
The familiar plead for help.   
He would surely reconsider once he got to know her. There was a center that could help a little guy like him better.   
That is if he didn't prefer doing it like a few of the others, living outside and only dropping in for a little magic, or inside a bitty hotel earning their own money.

Seemingly taking her silence as rejection but still not giving up he did something none of those she had muzzled and tied before had done.   
He pleaded again in the most universal way, using her favorite form of communication, non verbal, wordless affection. Clearly a plead from the way he averted his eyes.

He had done so well fighting through what seemed to have been a few bad memories, clinging to sanity enough to keep his promise not to hurt her. And hurt she had been.   
A lot.

While she wouldn't have hurt him, if his fit had MADE him hurt her, this outcome put a smile on her face.

What a strong little guy, she thought to herself, betraying her conviction not to grow attached and gently stroked his back.  
A hopeful but still reserved answer to an unspoken plead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just love phrasing? ;D  
> A little more insight into what the woman is doing.  
> Meet the new guy.  
> I'm curious though, anyone had a hunch?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to try pacing my updates more, but I suppose it won't become a once a week thing any time soon anyways 🤷♀️

For a moment both enjoyed the peace and silent understanding. Her soft strokes down his bare back were as soothing as they were reinvigorating. 

Though with the more stressing matters resolved, his mind shot him a quick info that he was currently completely on display, which made a soft red color dust his cheekbones. 

That however was a matter to address when he was no longer touch starved.   
It wasn't really that he had a problem with it, just some humans were… weird about it..

There were other more pressing questions right now. While he enjoyed the comfort, he couldn't help but wonder  
"Why did you take me with you in the end?  
Or rather why'd you run before?"

She sighed.

"Against popular belief not all bitties are good or rather some are made to do things.   
Without any backup I had to make sure.

I..  
Promised." She looked away for a moment. 

There was a moment of silence as he considered that information. 

What she asked then made him snap back to attention, though.

"You're actually a Sansy, right?"

He gaped up at her.  
"H.. how.. uh"

"I've.. met axe bitties."

He was surprised and froze for a moment staring ahead blankly, but eventually nodded.

"T's just that hardly anyone ever looked, or rather cared.   
Heh..  
What gave me away?"

"A Sansy is a Sansy an axe is an axe. You're not the first changed bitty I met.  
However your demeanor is surprisingly true to a Sansy. Having been through what I'm sure you've been through it takes a thick skull to not let it break you."  
Reconsidering what she said she added "no pun intended"  
"Heh"he grinned, then started laughing wholeheartedly.   
"Hahaha, why, 't was a good one"  
He snorted. 

His laugh made her smile twitch up, even though she considered his darker sense of humor and where it might have stemmed from.

"So,..  
you know, what this is from?"  
Sans gestured to his sole Red eye light. 

"I know, what you have eaten, yes.  
Seeing you gorge down those ketchup packages and knowing what it does, I presume it being not voluntarily"

That left him surprised again.

Narrowing his sockets he asked the inevitable  
"How come y' know so much?"

Deciding that was as good as a transition as she could get, she looked at the -now clean- bitty, turning her hand and gesturing for him to climb on.  
He did it, feeling slightly nervous.  
She got him out of the sink, setting him down on her washing machine and handing him a bitty towel.

Wrapped up as a towel burrito he looked up at her again, the comfort making him somewhat dizzy.

She took a breath.  
"It's my job.  
That being said, if you are to stay here, even just one night there's someone you need to meet.  
Don't worry though. He'll keep his distance as much as possible and I will be there to keep an eye on it."

Puzzled and a bit anxious he nodded without allowing himself to think about it too much.

She whistled.

A moment later he realized how she could so easily tell what he was.

On the sink next to her staring over was an axe bitty. 

The guy at least one and a half time his size.  
Grin, confidently on his face.

"Name's 'Crunch', you got one?" he said.

Sans was flabbergasted, he thought she didn't have a bitty, now there stood a giant, 'healthy' looking axe bitty. One of the most dangerous types there was. 

His silence didn't go unnoticed.   
"Heh, ya got them thoughts running a mile an hour, eh?" He looked up at her "didn't tell 'em much, did ya?"

She shot Crunch a brow, crossing her arms.   
"Blue" she said, gesturing to him. 

A moment crunch froze, then got a paper notepad from his back.  
Quickly scanning it, he shrugged at her apologetically. 

Then he looked over to the Sansy.  
"Sorry, kid. Sometimes ma memory is just full a holes." He chuckled, earning a small chuckle from the Sansy.

"So, let's get straight to it since a got someone waiting. I'm here ta do a quick checkup.  
Health wise, as well as you probably could guess what.  
Got a problem 'bout it?"

Sans froze. His LV wasn't that high but he still felt unsure. 

"Look, 'm the doc around these parts and while ma memory will never allow me ta be the best, a promise I won't hurt ya.  
We'll just step in the box without a roof and talk and a do a quick check and if everything's fine ya good ta move around anywhere in the place.  
We'll after meeting the guards."

He studied him for a moment.   
"If it's about the you know. That hardly matters as long as the gal says it don't."  
Crunch looks up at her, she shrugged shaking her head.   
"Heh, waking up in a strange place and not trying to murder ya savior is a good start.   
Actually ya'd get a monster candy fer good behavior, as far as I recall.  
So can I come over or d ya want to just spend the night n leave. "

Sans considered his options and not seeing any point why not to give in just shrugged.   
Sue him for being too lazy to care when he got a potentially safe place to nap.

'Crunch' checked him, body and soul, asking a few important questions to determine if he was safe. 

After 20 minutes he was declared safe, albeit being even more confused. 

As soon as the human was informed about the results, Sans looked up at her. 

"So, I thought you couldn't have a bitty?!"  
Crunch just snorted, gave her a wink and disappeared.

"Well, that's cause I can't.   
There's two types of bitties.   
Some think they're pets because they believe what they're told. The others have realized they're people and try to find their place in life. 

I.. couldn't have a 'PET' bitty, can't have someone be…  
completely dependent on me anymore.

That's what pets do, or need to do and that's why people 'own' them (she made quotation marks to emphasize her points and sighed at the end).

Bitties may need contact but they can built up a network, a family, find ways to have an own life, an own purpose.  
One more bitty like that I don't mind keeping around but I still wouldn't have them. As in 'own them'.  
You just can't own a person.

But this way of life isn't for everyone, some bitties just need that strong bond.   
You can decide what you want if you want to stay. You can leave any time. If you want to stay or come back you better meet the guards before you leave, though, just to be safe.   
If you stay you'll get a tour and a starter kit for your type.

Also any bitty living here is allowed to come over for a while and get their contact. If you need it, you can just come over.   
Sleeping on me is a big no, though."

"Why?"

"It's a rule"

"What if I forget or sleep walk?"

"Depends on the situation."

"What's the uhh.."

"In general, nothing..  
but being crushed under sleeping human is highly likely.   
And if you think I'm just suddenly sleeping better with you around ask the others, some just barely escaped their untimely demise.  
Though their stories are rather entertaining and luckily so far everyone got to learn and live.

Well you have all the time you need to decide what to do.   
If you don't want to leave right away, I'll show you around for now, so we can decide where you want to stay for the night. 

Do you want to stay? "

He nodded eagerly. That was kind of a no brainer for him at this point, heh!

"Then let's get you some clothes, some snacks and we're good to go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also thanks for all the support, that's a lot of kudos and even bookmarks.  
> Glad that this is giving someone something ^^
> 
> Comments really make me happy. Can't promise a schedule or anything but even if my generall slow rhythm doesn't show it, it helps :)


	4. The smell of home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new bitty getting to know some more of the gang. Food really is a horrors thing. Not as important as family, but it's up there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a 100% okay with this chapter, also contemplating certain plot points and the size of the bitties in this story.  
> Longer stories tend to be hard for me in terms of continuity.. also art block sucks ...

"Oh right, I didn't ask before. Do you mind being picked up in general?" She asked the little skeleton, handing him fresh basic bitty clothes (white shirt, socks and black shorts).

Sans didn't really think about decency too hard as he let go of the towel and got dressed. "'S long as I don't get dropped or held too tight, I don't really mind." He said pushing one foot through his shorts leg.

He picked up his shirt, then paused for a moment and looked up at her attentive, serious face.  
Averting his eye lights, he looked at his hand contemplating, then up at her  
"just tell me when you want to.." he made a grabbing gesture, a pleading expression on his face. 

Seeing her nod to his request sternly, he held her gaze for a moment then snorted and giggled "you know.."  
He snickered making jazz hands

"Before- HAND"!  
He broke into a giggle fit.

She harrumphed surprised, then joined his laughter. 

"I kinda got a hands-on demonstration that you can hand-le my bare boney butt with care after all. " he snorted in between giggling, making both of them laugh even more. 

He wanted to say something else, but she held up a finger, ending her laughing spell with a snort and looked away briefly.  
When she could safely make serious conversation again, she straightened, sighing and looking at him again

"Sorry, but I wish to apologize for taking off your clothing. I had to check you for injuries and trackers anyways and you were..  
kind of stinky?!

I will not intrude again if you are uncomfortable in the nude."

It was a necessity then, still he was a sentient being and she couldn't ask for consent, since he had passed out.

Sans just shrugged. She had seen and touched him and handled him carefully "Don't really mind. As long as ya don't get too handsy. Seeing ya friend, I suppose ya can tell I got a hard time remembering where I am.. among other things."  
He grunted, pulling his shirt over his head. 

She ignored the second pun fixing him with a contemplating stare.

She had seen other Sans type bitties whose bones were way worse than his. Even if he had his fair share of battle scars and slightly grey bones, she knew he was far from dusting as long as he got his contact and sustenance. 

His general Sansy like behavior threw her off way more. Horrors that lived on the street for longer tended to be... less talkative. 

He looked up at her but after a moment averted his eye lights nervously chuckling "uh.."

Noticing her slip up she straightened sighing and rubbing her forehead "I'm sorry.. again.  
I was just wondering.. how bad is your memory?"

"Uh, that's…" he rubbed his neck nervously. 

She held up her hands interrupting him "look, all I need to know is if you space out if triggered or hungry?"

He looked at her frozen for a moment, then whined.  
Shamefully averting his eye light, he rubbed his arm.

"It's.." he blushed from shame and mumbled something more but really silently.

She cocked her head at seeing how he tried to hide in sweater Town but without a hoody noticed it didn't help much.

Apparently instinctively he made a move for his dead eye socket instead, she'd seen that before in others.

Slowly she approached him with one finger, so as to not startle him and when he didn’t do more than flinch and focus on her finger, she carefully guided his hand away before he reached his socket.  
Without putting up a fight he let her hold his hand between her pointer finger and thumb.  
Looking up at her small but patient smile, he flinched, to which she started to caress his hand softly and reassuringly. 

"I'm sorry but you have to speak up a bit. I just want to know what to watch out for." She whispered.

He looked at her thumb softly petting the back of his hand and after quickly running the numbers on their size difference couldn't help but be amazed at how much control it must take to regulate such slight pressure shifts.  
The ridges in her skin were malleable to a degree but still created a nice friction, additionally to radiating heat and a comforting intent.

Pulling himself from his observations he sighed.  
"I said it's worse when I'm as low on magic and soul energy as I'm now… and.. hungry"

As if to demonstrate his soul gave a low growl and his eye light slightly lost focus.

Hmm.. food. He thought.  
Registering a faint smell he started to drool.  
Where is that smell..?  
He kept sniffing, eyelight dizzy.  
...  
Close.

Memories of a home, the smell of cooked food and his brother made his soul thrum. He needed to get there, it was close..

Trying to get his hand free took a little effort, but he wanted to get there. To the smell. To his brother.  
He was so hungry.  
Finally he succeeded.

When his eye light wavered a little and he started trying to get his hand free, she let go of him and suddenly he was gone from before her. 

Sighing she shook her head, luckily she knew exactly where he went. 

Sudden loud shouts of "NO! IT'S NOT DONE!", "STOP IT!" and "EEK, GET OFF YOU CRETIN!" leaving little room for interpretation as she made her way over.  
There was growling and snarling heard and struggling of tiny feet on the plastic kitchen counter.  
Then a low chuckle interrupted the fuss.  
"All right, all right, kiddo, a kno ya'r hungry but we all gotta wait up. 'Ere take the bottle ketchup fer now."

When she moved into the kitchen, there was a moment of silence and suckling noises.  
Then there was a gasp  
"this…?!  
…  
is this..?'!" The little horror spoke in amazement.  
Another low chuckle followed.  
Turning around the corner she saw the smaller horror hugging the ketchup bottle  
" it's Grillbys" he said more to himself then anyone else, nuzzling the bottle. 

Next to the bitty sitting on the kitchen counter stood Crunch, smiling widely as the cooking trio of bitties stomped and ranted about the mess the small horror made. 

Seeing her, Crunch winked, then petted his brother on the head when he was finished ranting and stomping his foot.  
"Y kno the kid just got in pap, he jus couldn't resist that delicious smelling pasta."

Crunchs younger but really tall and lanky brother sighed. The giant papyrus bitty stood a little more upright again, then answered "OH I KNOW, BROTHER. BUT NOW THE GREAT AND MERCIFUL PAPYRUS HAS TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS!"  
He paused, then struck a pose.  
"NOT THAT THIS MESS CAN BEST THE GREAT PAPYRUS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO MESS THAT CAN, NYEHEHEH!" He laughed loud and boisterous. 

The smaller horror froze at hearing that boisterous voice, his attempts to hold up that ketchup bottle for more of the tomatoe goodness stilled.  
His eye lights went out and she could tell what was off when tears started leaking from his sockets in a small but silent river.

'Oh boy' she thought, even this behavior was familiar to her.  
When a bitty was saved from what they thought would be their certain death it had happened before, many times. 

Crunch and his brother tensed when they felt a shift in the atmosphere, ready for whatever changed.  
Then the little horror ran past Crunch and Crunch startled for a second.

Though that didn't last long, recognizing what was happening, he chuckled, shoulders relaxing.  
The little guy was followed by a trail of magic droplets, when he ran past his bigger alternate, wailing towards the lanky papyrus.  
The latter was startled at first, until the smaller version of his brother hugged his legs, shivering and whispering "paps."

The two brothers knew this wasn't directly addressed at the big papyrus, but having been separated at one point in their journey they were entirely willing to give the smaller version of the big brother a moment of familiarity..  
as cruel as the awakening would be. 

The lanky papyrus stood there for a bit just letting this smaller younger version of his big brother have his moment. There was a fond and proud smile on his own brothers face.  
This other brother was so very small, he could easily pick him up and hug him. A pang of sympathy went straight to the papyrus' soul, making him gasp.

Somehow that little movement broke the spell and small horror flinched.  
Dazedly with tears in his sockets he started to look up, searching his younger brothers face. Then looked up further and further until he finally saw a face. The crooked teeth and sunken eyes startled him and he took a few steps back averting his eyes.  
"S.. sorry." He mumbled feeling the cold glare of the real big brother for a moment. He quickly stuttered "I.. I thought you were… P.. Pap.. I.. I didn't mean to hug without.. as-king."  
He sobbed… "I.. I mean... you are Papyrus, but.. but you're not my.." he sobbed.  
Then he looked over at Crunch who had relaxed again.

The axe bitty felt his shoulders sinking in sympathy at the pityful expression marking a face so hauntingly similar to what felt like a memory of a previous life.  
The bigger could read this face, even if the scars were different he could feel the pain and how lost the other must be.  
It was as though his soul itself felt the echo of that pain, fear and loneliness.

His younger brother startled them both out of it, when he picked the smaller up without warning. 

The small horror flinched at first, tense from the realization his own younger brother was still lost to him.  
Then he relaxed, feeling his skull being petted by a gloved hand.  
"There, There, Younger, Big Brother, I, The Older Great And Merciful Papyrus Forgive You. You May Hug Me As Much As You Wish. For All Papyrus' Are Known To Give The Bestest Of Hugs."

Papyrus looked over to his Sans, who didn't look sad anymore but had that fond smile of his back.  
That was the Great Papyrus' favorite smile, so he decided to do even more.  
He straightened and holding the smaller big brother to his chest with one arm he exclaimed "IN FACT, THE OLDER GREAT AND MERCIFUL PAPYRUS SHALL ADOPT YOU!" 

That startled his real big brother as this younger version already looked like an infant compared to his younger brother, he huffed a snicker at that weird image of his younger self as paps.. son(?!).  
He could see his younger self giving his brother a slightly offended incredulous look.

"Uhh, Papyrus.." the younger horror started.

"YES, IT IS DECIDED!" The lanky skeleton exclaimed "YOU MAY CALL ME 'BIGGER YOUNG BROTHER' AND WE SHALL CALL YOU 'YOUNGER BIG BROTHER'."  
He said, striking a pose.

The two older brothers huffed a laugh at the realization, what he actually meant and the little Horror looked over to his bigger alternate, who grinned a fond smile, shrugging at the unasked question.  
That made the youngers smile light up, the prospect of bitty siblings, even adopted ones soothing the ache in his soul if only by a little. Looking up at the older version of his younger brother he exclaimed "You're so cool, Big Paps!"  
And hugged as much of the bigger as he could.

"NYEHEHEHE!" The lanky bitty laughed victoriously.


End file.
